How to Upcycle Old Candles |Keeping it Real

Do you have half-burned candles, wax stuck at the bottom of jars, or scents you no longer use? Instead of throwing them away, upcycle them into something useful. It is an easy way to reduce waste, save money, and get creative at home.

Give leftover wax a second life with a few simple ideas:

1. Make a New Candle

The easiest option is to combine leftover wax into a fresh candle. This is what I did recently when I found myself faced with the fact that this store bought citronella candle burned through the entire wick leaving most of the wax untouched:

Here's how to do it:

Carefully remove the old wax from its container: I used a blunt knife and my hands to separate the wax from the original clay pot and cut it into small pieces (easier to melt)

Melt the wax slowly using a double boiler; never heat wax directly over a flame. Stir carefully until fully melted:

Place a fresh wick in a clean, heat-safe jar. In my case I used another, smaller clay pot I already had at home.

Pour in the melted wax, keep the wick centered, and let it cool completely

Additional tip: if you mix several candles, choose scents and colors that work well together.

2. Turn Wax Into Fire Starters

Leftover candle wax can also be turned into handy fire starters for fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, or outdoor fire pits.

What you’ll need:

Leftover candle wax
A cardboard egg carton
Dry combustible material such as wood shavings, sawdust, or small pieces of plain cardboard
A double boiler or heat-safe container for melting the wax
Scissors

How to make them:

Prepare the egg carton. Fill each cup loosely with dry wood shavings, sawdust, or small pieces of cardboard. Don’t pack the material too tightly.
Melt the leftover wax. Gently melt the wax using a double-boiler method rather than heating wax directly over a flame. Remove old wick tabs and debris as the wax melts.
Add the wax. Carefully pour a modest amount of melted wax over the dry material in each egg-carton cup. You want enough to bind everything together without completely saturating it.

Let everything cool. Leave the carton on a heat-resistant surface until the wax has completely hardened.

Cut into individual starters. Once cool, cut or tear the carton into separate cups. The cardboard itself becomes part of the fire starter.

To use one, place it under your dry kindling and light the exposed cardboard edge. Use these only in appropriate fireplaces, stoves, or outdoor fires with good ventilation.

Additional tip: avoid adding dried flowers, herbs, essential oils, plastics, glitter, or other decorative candle materials to fire starters—the simplest combination of plain wax, cardboard, and untreated dry wood material is the better choice.

3. Reuse the Candle Jars

Once the wax is gone, clean the jar thoroughly and remove labels and wick tabs. For most candle jars, the easiest method is to remove as much wax as possible first, then wash them.

It you need some help removing the the remaining wax, sometimes putting the jar in the freezer for a few hours helps. The wax contracts and then can be loosened with a spoon or blunt utensil (avoid sharp knives, which can scratch or crack the surface).

Wash thoroughly with warm water and dish washing liquid to remove waxy or oily residue, then rinse and dry completely.

Depending on the size and original material, you can reuse it as:

A small plant pot
A holder for pens or makeup brushes
A container for bathroom essentials
Storage for craft supplies

In my case, I'm thinking of reusing the original clay pot as a small planter because it's too shallow for most of the other alternatives.

A few safety notes:

Melt wax with gentle, indirect heat and never leave it unattended.
Use only heat-safe containers suitable for candles.
Never pour melted wax down a sink or drain.
Strain out debris or burned wick pieces before reusing old wax.

I my case, I used part of the utensils that came with a candle making kit I bought on Amazon a while ago (link below the photo):

See it on Amazon

Upcycling old candles doesn't need to be complicated. Leftover wax and an empty jar can become a new candle, a useful container, or a simple fire starter. Before throwing your old candles away, see what you can make from them instead!

Have fun,